Okay. So I was raised on Chet Huntley, David Brinkley, and Walter Cronkite. And their worthy successors Peter Jennings, Frank McGee, and John Chancellor. Never warmed up to Anderson Cooper, although I do love gray hair. I get all of my news from NPR and the internet.
I gave up on morning shows when they turned into goofy-cooking-novelty-game programs. I’m not saying there should be two hours of solid news, but geez… who CARES where Matt Lauer is? I turned on CNN the other day in the morning-- the last bastion of serious news, I thought-- and saw a bunch of good-looking people sitting on a sofa instead of behind consoles and said to myself, “Et tu, Ted?”
When I read that CBS was going to try to be more serious and meaty with their morning show, I thought I’d give it a look.
But before I know whether I like anything, I have to come here and get everyone’s opinions. Any reviews?
I like it. Well, let’s say I prefer it to what I’m getting from the other channels. The 8:00 hour (with Gayle King) is still too poofy for my tastes, but I realize that damn near everything on TV is too poofy for my tastes.
FWIW, when Dave Garroway left the Today Show in 1961, NBC News totally revamped the format and made it a much more serious, news-oriented show. Viewers and advertisers responded by turning off the show in record numbers, despite there being no competition from the other networks at that hour. After barely a year, the show brought in a new host and production team and it became successful again.
I’ve been watching it this week and I love it. I’ve been a Today show watcher, but now cringe whenever Ann Curry attempts to interview anyone (or even appears on the screen at all, just about).
I was pretty darn skeptical about Charlie Rose and Gayle King co-hosting, and it seems like they don’t really co-host but serially host, and that seems to be OK.
The 7:00 hour (an actual entire hour of news, not just between 7 and 18 minutes at the beginning of the show, who woulda thunk it) is, amazingly, filled with actual reported news segments, not just interviews with someone vaguely celebrinews-worthy. Once during a commercial after some segment on world affairs on CBS, I flipped back to Today, and saw on the the interview subject was “Mother of missing girl”, which really encapsulates the difference between the two shows.
Even after 8:00, when the show supposedly shifts toward entertainment, there are actual reported news stories on slightly lighter subjects, as opposed to the absolute fluff you get down the dial.
I urge Dopers to check out this program. What a relief to turn on morning TV and see/hear real news reported in a straightforward, somewhat in-depth way without cute gags and gimmicks.
So far they’ve spent 10 minutes on one story. We’re 15 minutes into the first hour and no commercial so far. Charlie Rose is interviewing Gingrich and asking him some challenging questions. Like a grownup. Just segued to a second news story with no commercial. It’s a miracle.
First hour ending. One hour of solid news- no fluff. (However, I’ll be leaving as the Gayle King movie star hour comes on. That’s ok. Gotta get rolling anyway.)
I’ve been watching on and off since this show started a few weeks ago. I enjoy and respect Charlie Rose and he does a great job with interviews…better than anyone else currently on television. I do not know the dark headed lady’s name, but she is just ok–bland and not offensive, but does not seem to have a grasp on interviews at all. She mostly reads the news. The only down side to this show is Gayle King. She interrupts guest often when they are ready to answer a serious question by interjecting a silly one instead. She often steps all over her co-workers as they start a segment. I’ve watched for about 20 minutes today and she has interrupted on at least 3 occasions. She also has this voice that tries to mimic Oprahs tones. It’s like having a cheap Oprah knock off. So, get rid of King and and maybe add one more medium to hard interviewer and this show is great. I love the format and appreciate there is no cooking–heck, there is a whole channel for that.
I knew that his looks had gone down exponentially, but, I never even considered that he was a rummy…however, that would account for his fast decline…methinks you have nailed it!